Grapevine named ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of grapevine named ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’, primarily adapted to the growing conditions of the temperate regions, and characterized by its strong vigor; erect growth habit; wedge-shaped leaves with medium texture; medium weight and conical shaped berry clusters; early maturing, firm berry flesh with no coloration and neutral taste primarily for winemaking; early harvesting time; and resistance to winter temperatures (to −22° C.), resistance to downy mildew and tolerance to powdery mildew.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Vitis×vinifera (hybrid).

Variety name: ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct summer/fall bearing grapevine variety, botanically known as Vitis vinifera, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’.

The new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors in Udine, Italy. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new grapevine variety particularly characterized by resistance to cold (<−20° C.), resistance to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), and tolerance to powdery mildew (Uncinula necator).

The new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’ originated from a cross made by the inventors in 2002 in Udine, Italy. The female or seed parent is the grapevine variety Vitis vinifera ‘Sauvignon’ (unpatented), and the male or pollen parent is the grapevine variety Vitis ‘20/3’ (Bianca×SK77-4/5) (unpatented).

The new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’ was discovered and selected by the inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2002 in Udine, Italy. Asexual reproduction of the new grapevine variety by grafting was first performed in February 2004 in Rauscedo, Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Italy, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’ is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the temperate regions with average yearly temperature about 13° C., minimum winter temperature about −20° C., annual rainfall around 700-1500 mm of rain (e.g. North-Eastern Italy, Friuli). This region provides the necessary year-round temperatures required for it to produce and maintain a strong vigorous plant with consistent fruit production from April through November on primocanes and in the ensuing year from April through November on the floricanes.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’, which in combination distinguish this grapevine plant as a new and distinct variety.

-   -   1. Strong vigor;     -   2. Erect growth habit;     -   3. Wedge-shaped leaves with a medium green upper surface and         light green lower surface and a medium texture;     -   4. Fruit clusters with medium weight, conical shape, firm berry         flesh with neutral taste, and no flesh coloration, early         maturity (end of August in Middle Friuli, North-Eastern Italy);         and primarily used for wine.     -   5. Primocanes and floricanes with an elliptic cross section,         brownish color, no lenticels, and small internodes of 8 mm         diameter;     -   6. Early harvesting time, at end of August in Middle Friuli,         North-Eastern Italy; and     -   7. Resistance to winter temperature (−22° C.), resistance to         downy mildew, and tolerant to powdery mildew, if overripening is         allowed it is susceptible to cluster rots.

Plants of the new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’ differ from plants of the parents, Vitis vinifera ‘Sauvignon’ (unpatented) and Vitis ‘20/3’ (unpatented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parent Varieties New Cultivar Female Parent Male Parent Character- ‘SAUVIGNON ‘Sauvignon’ ‘20/3’ istic KRETOS’ ( unpatented) ( unpatented) vigor strong medium medium growth erect semi-erect semi-erect habit leaf medium, medium medium, medium Medium size, green color (upper green color (upper light green color surface), light green surface), pale green (upper surface), color (lower surface), color (lower sur- green color (lower no hairs in both face), prostrate surface), no hairs surfaces, wedge- hairs on upper sur- in both surfaces, shaped, medium face: present, high wedge-shaped - texture, density of prostrate kidney-shaped, hairs on lower medium texture surface, circular shape, medium texture cluster medium weight, very low weight, low weight, coni- conical with two cylindrical-conical, cal, with 1-2 wings, medium with 1-2 wings, wings, medium dense, berry dense, berry skin dense, berry skin skin with green with green-yellow with green-yellow color, firm flesh, color, slightly firm color, slightly neutral taste, no flesh, aromatic firm flesh, flesh coloration taste, no flesh neutral taste, no coloration flesh coloration primocane elliptic cross section, circular cross oblate cross and brownish color, section, brownish section, brownish floricane lenticels: absent, color, lenticels: color, lenticels: short-medium absent, short- absent, medium internodes, diameter: medium inter- internodes, small (about 8 mm) nodes, diameter diameter small small (about 8 mm) (about 8 mm) harvesting early (late August medium (early Early (late August, time in Middle Friuli, September in Middle Friuli, North-Eastern Middle Friuli, North-Eastern Italy), North-Eastern Italy) Italy) resist- resistant to winter Average resist resistant to winter ances temperature (−22° ance to winter temperature not C.), resistant to temperature known, resistant to downy mildew, tol- (−15° C.), downy mildew, erant to powdery susceptible to resistant to mildew, when over- downy mildew, powdery mildew ripe susceptible to susceptible to cluster rots. powdery mildew

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar to the new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’ is the female parent ‘Sauvignon’, to which a comparison has been provided above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show typical fruit clusters of ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’, taken on Aug. 30, 2012 in Udine, Italy.

FIG. 2 shows a typical mature leaf (upper surface, left and lower surface, right) of ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’, taken on Jun. 1, 2012 in Udine, Italy.

FIG. 3 shows a typical mature vine of ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’, taken on Aug. 3, 2012.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up view of typical mature fruit of ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’, taken on Aug. 30, 2012 in Udine, Italy

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’ unless otherwise noted, is based on observations taken during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 growing seasons in Udine, Italy and Fossalon di Grado (GO), Italy, from plants dug from a nursery located in Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo, Rauscedo (PN), Italy during the beginning of December 2007 and planted approximately 16 to 20 weeks later in Udine, Italy and Fossalon di Grado (GO), Italy. The phenotypical descriptions and color designations stated for the new variety may vary, depending upon variations in environmental factors, including weather (temperature, humidity and light intensity), day length, soil type, location and cultural conditions. ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), (Edition V, 2007), except where general colors of ordinary significance are used.

TABLE 3 Detailed Botanical Description ‘SAUVIGNON Sauvignon Characteristic KRETOS’ (unpatented) GENERAL Resistance to Resistant to downy Susceptible to downy pest/disease mildew, tolerant to mildew and to powdery powdery mildew mildew Resistance to Resistant to winter cold Resistant to winter cold natural elements down to −22° C. down to −15° C. VINE vigor strong medium Trunk diameter 6.5 6.5 Bark color RHS 177B Dark brown underbark color RHS 179B Light brown texture n.a. n.a. Canes length Internode length Internode length cm 9 about cm 11 Width (diameter) 8 mm 8 mm Shoots shape Erected, cross Semi-erected, cross section: oblate, section: circular, surface: with stripes, surface: smooth, nodes and inter- nodes and inter- nodes without hairs nodes without hairs color internodes with red Internodes with (RHS 185B) and green color green (RHS 144B) on ventral and pigmentation on both dorsal side, sides, nodes with red nodes with green (RHS green (RHS ventral and dorsal 185B) and 144B) side (RHS 144B) ventral side dorsal side and green Tendrils form Bifid or trifid bifid color RHS 143B Green texture normal normal number 2 or <2 consecutive 2 or <2 consecutive Buds size average average shape round round color RHS 139C and Light brown RHS 181A number 2/node 2/node time of budbreak early early-medium LEAVES Size small-medium medium Number of leaflets 5 5 Glossiness Medium-high medium Cross section shape V-shaped V-shaped Color (immature) Upper surface RHS 140B and Pale green RHS 185B Under surface RHS 140B and Pale green RHS 185B Color (mature) Upper surface RHS 141A Medium green Under surface RHS 141B Darker green Petiole Length (cm) 6.2 6.0 Color (upper surface) RHS 145C green Color (under surface) RHS 145C green Stipule orientation n.a. n.a. FLOWERS Flowering period End of May End of May (time of beginning of flowering) Sex hermaphrodite hermaphrodite Size Average average Diameter(cm) 0.3 (stamens) 0.3 (stamens) Stamen Color RHS 4D Pistil Color RHS 149A Fragrance average average Flower number (at n.a. n.a. 3^(rd) node from tip of lateral mean and range) Petals Length (cm) n.a. n.a. Width (cm) n.a. n.a. Overall shape calyptra calyptra Calyptra Color RHS 134A green Sepals None None Length (cm) n.a. n.a. Width (cm) n.a. n.a. Overall shape n.a. n.a. Color (immature) n.a. n.a. Upper surface Under surface Color (mature) n.a. n.a. Upper surface Under surface Pedicel Length (mm) 7 7 Color RHS 145C green FRUIT Primocane time of August 25th September 7th fruiting (1^(st) pick) Clusters cluster weight Low (g 170) Low (g 230) cluster shape conical conical cluster length mm 180 medium avg. berries per 200 220 cluster avg. clusters per 2 2 shoot Berries Berry size g 1.8 g 1.0 Berry length (cm) 1.76 1.50 Berry width (cm) 1.56 1.50 Overall shape of broad ellipsoid globose berry Berry Texture soft soft Berry Skin Color RHS 137C green (immature) Berry Skin Color RHS 150B green (mature, at 19° Bx) Berry Flesh Color RHS 148B Soluble solids (%) 22.6 21.1 Titratable acidity ( as 4.6 5.7 g/L tartaric acid) Sugar/acid ratio 4.9 3.7 Firmness soft soft Seeds 2-3 2-3 Seed Color RHS 172A and RHS163B Skin cracking? no rarely Juice color transparent transparent Berry taste neutral neutral Eating quality n.a. n.a. Berry uses wine wine Shipping quality n.a. n.a. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct grapevine, referred to as ‘SAUVIGNON KRETOS’, as herein described and illustrated by the characteristics set forth above. 